As our time living on the big island of Hawaii started to wind down to a close, we realized we had five or six places still on our “to-do” list. They were all over an hour from our house, and so, it was clearly time for a big island road trip. Just like with Oahu, there are dozens of itineraries and combos. to choose from when you’re planning a trip like this. Here is one idea for driving a big island road trip that has been tried and loved (by me).
Our Big Island Road Trip Begins South
Based on times that places were open and the small window of time our special lunch place was available, we chose to first drive 90 minutes south to Punalu’u Bake Shop. I’ve written about the iconic bread from this place before. If you missed it, read here. It is the southernmost bakery in the United States. The bake shop opens at 8:30 in the morning and can sell out of the specific items we were searching for. So, we planned our day to arrive when they opened. We left our house at 6:30 in the morning and wandered through the bake shop’s gardens while we waited for them to open.
When the doors swung open, we headed straight for the bakery case to select & purchase their world-famous Malasadas. These are a type of Portuguese doughnut, coated in sugar and often filled with cream or fruit filling. Hawaii has a large Portuguese population, so malasadas are everywhere. However, we had never eaten THESE malasadas before. Everyone said we needed to try them before returning to the mainland.
By the way, even though it didn’t have filling (which I usually prefer) the lilikoi (that’s the Hawaiian name for passion fruit) malasada was one of the best things I’ve eaten in all my time on the island.
Breakfast with a View
Next, we backtracked the way we had come for 15 minutes. This was designed so we could eat our malasadas at Punalu’u Black Sand Beach Park. Though there are other black sand beaches on Hawaii island, this is the most famous one. It is older, so the waves have broken down the volcanic rock a bit better. Therefore, it feels more like the traditional sand you would expect and less like pebbles.
Parking & Facilities
There are two parking areas for this park. The larger one has bathroom facilities and several picnic tables under covered pavilions. This was, obviously, perfect for our malasada breakfast plans. This parking lot is also the easiest to find because there is signage. However, as with all Hawaiian beaches, arriving early will help you secure a parking spot.
The main road you take is Ninole Loop Road. To reach the second (smaller) parking area, you turn down a nameless side road, which dead ends into a tiny parking area. It sounds sketchy, but it really does show up on googlemaps.
Impressions of a Black Sand Beach
Honu (green sea turtles) are common here. Just remember to keep at least 10 feet away from the sweet things at all times. We watched a big one sunning himself. There are some tide pools for kids to explore. You’ll see little crabs and such.
Just walking or relaxing on this beach is a memorable experience. In my mind’s eye, I see a lot of beaches as pale water and pale sand, and therefore, rather spa-like. A Hawaiian black sand beach isn’t that. Depending on the depth of the water, the ocean ranges from a blue almost as black as the sand to a nearly fluorescent royal blue. The colors are vibrant and jump “off the page” in a way I’ve never seen before. The juxtaposition of that black sand against the different shades of water lends everything an other-worldly quality.
The Beach We Skipped
About 40 minutes south of the black sand beach, is Punalu’u green sand beach. It is one of only 4 green sand beaches in the world. Apparently, the sand is made of olivine, which is an olive-colored stone. At first, we wanted to see such a rare thing. Then, we got quite a few mixed reviews from locals about how difficult it is to access versus how impressive the sand is. Lots of people say that often the sand isn’t that impressive. It looks gray-green. Not that bright. You get the idea. I would have considered going anyway if it wasn’t for the difficulty. You see, it takes nearly 2 hours to get to a parking area from our house. Then, there is a hike of over one hour to reach the cove. Three + hours for one beach with medium reviews seemed like a lot to me. If you don’t want to hike, there are locals who you can pay to drive you in the bed of their pick-up trucks. It would make for a fun story; I have no doubt. Ultimately, we skipped it.
Our Big Island Road Trip Heads West
Note: There are several areas that are completely undeveloped and have no cell service, so if you don’t have a full tank of gas, fill up in Na’alehu. That’s the little town where the bake shop is located. They have two gas stations.
From the black sand beach, we drove one hour and 15 minutes west and then north. Our destination was another place that locals said we simply couldn’t leave the island without seeing. It is also one of the only places that I’ve never learned to properly pronounce. The name is a real doozy.
Pu’uhonua O Honaunau (City of Refuge)
It is important to enter the exact words “Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park Visitors Center” into your GPS. It often wants to default to something slightly different, but don’t let it. You might not land in quite the correct place. Part of the National Park Service, seeing the City of Refuge will be part of your Hawaiian culture education. Just as visiting Iolani Palace gives you an important piece of education that the American public schools skip entirely over, the City of Refuge extends that historical education.
The Hawaiian Islands have evidence of people living there from at least as far back as the year 900. In ancient times, the ali’i (royalty) enforced a sacred set of laws called kapu. Here are some examples. Women should not eat with men. A commoner should not cast his shadow over an ali’i. A man should not catch a fish out of season. A warrior is defeated in battle. If someone was caught breaking these kapu laws, they risked being sentenced to death. Their other option was to make your way to the coast and swim to the City of Refuge. Here, a priest could choose to absolve you of your crime, so that you could return home. In addition, during times of war, the City of Refuge sheltered women, children and elders who would not have gone into battle.
Sacred Spaces
Since the City of Refuge is part of America’s National Park system, there is a small entry charge. However, it is per carload, not per person. Therefore, if you’re traveling as an entire family, it will be economical. A standard pass is $10-$20 (depending on the type of vehicle). It is a cashless system at the front gate.
Signage at the entrance reminds visitors of the sacredness of this place. Speak in low tones and respect the history. There is a half-mile loop for visitors to walk and a brochure gives the details of the self-guided tour, explaining each stop. The City of Refuge is protected by the Great Wall, which is 17-feet wide, 1,000-feet long, and 10-feet wide. It is constructed without mortar. Rocks were simply fitted together with astonishing precision.
Visitors can see the temple, strategy games locals played, statues of various Gods, royal fishponds and more. My suggestion would be to allow at least one hour to see the grounds.
After the City of Refuge, drive 6 minutes east (inland) to the prettiest chapel with the coolest story.
St. Benedict’s Catholic Church (The Painted Church)
Locals told us no big island road trip to the west coast is complete without a visit to the painted church.
In 1899, a Belgian priest (Father John Velghe) arrived at his new posting in Hawaii. It was a tiny chapel with almost no congregation. Most of the townspeople had relocated uphill and were no longer down near the coast where the chapel was. He knew he had to move closer to them if he wanted to have a congregation. So, between 1899-1902, he dismantled the chapel piece by piece and moved it 3 miles uphill using his donkey and donkey paths through the forest.
As a European, he admired the great cathedrals of Europe. So, he decided to paint the interior of the little chapel so it would more closely resemble a cathedral. He was not an artist and had never painted before. A local store donated a bunch of leftover exterior house paint in random colors. He used these tiny, dried plant cores (no bigger than your thumb) with bristles as paintbrushes. The task took him about 2 years.
On the rear wall, he painted an area that gives the illusion of depth. It is a trompe l’oeil mural. These “trick of the eye” murals that give the illusion of a 3D scene were common in France and Europe and had been in use there for many years. However, his mural is the very first time a trompe l’oeil mural had ever been seen in Hawaii.
Today, the St. Benedict’s congregation consists of about 80-90 parishioners. After over 120 years, the colors of his “cathedral” are still vibrant in most places. That fact is thanks to the housepaint. It is only because he used leftover exterior housepaint that the sun and heat have not peeled and destroyed his labor of love all these years later.
The church is open to the public every day. I would suggest allowing about 30 minutes to take a few photos and enjoy some quiet reflection. Guests, it would also be a kind gesture if you put a little donation in their box as a “thank you.”
The Perfect Big Island Road Trip Photo Opp
A 15-minute drive north from the church is the Kealakekua Bay Lookout. This bay is where Captain Cook first came ashore in Hawaii. There is a monument to him on the coast, but it is only accessible by boat (or a very long & advanced-level hike). So, it’s important to enter the lookout location into your GPS. There is a small parking area there for 10-12 vehicles and public restrooms as well. This final photo opportunity is a great way to end your big island road trip.
Captain Cook’s arrival on the islands in 1778 marks the first recorded European contact with Hawaii and its residents. This cultural exchange opened the islands to international trade. But, of course, relations between Cook and Hawaiians became strained. He was killed one year later at the same bay.
Kealakekua Bay is nothing if not dramatic. We stood on the edge of the dock watching people canoe up to the stone obelisk (in honor of Cook) on the other side of the cove. To our right, forming the cove itself, was a massive green mountain that loomed overhead. If you visit, take a moment to be in awe of Mother Nature in this place.
Where to Eat on Your Big Island Road Trip
There are beloved local restaurants and then there are icons. Manago Hotel Restaurant is the latter. Founded in 1917 by Kinzo and Osame Manago, this is Hawaii’s oldest restaurant. Incredibly, it is still run by the original family today (4th generation). In 2023, the restaurant was a James Beard Award recipient. Don’t be fooled by their awards and think that it’s a fancy place. At Manago laborers from local farms and other blue-collar industries come for home cooking that is just like what Grandma used to make. There is no tourist vibe here. In fact, I suspect most visitors never make the trip to the tiny enclave of Captain Cook, Hawaii to find Manago. This diner’s mission is to please the local residents.
The menu taped to the wall next to our table displayed about 5 sandwiches and 10 or so hot entrees. All hot entrees are served with steamed white rice and three sides. I asked the server what the sides of the day were. Again, this is like eating at Grandma’s house. You simply eat what she’s cooked. There are no selections or substitutions. My husband and I both tried their most famous entrée – pan fried pork chops ($21.75). The sides that day were Hawaii’s ubiquitous mac salad, sesame bean sprouts, and akuma. The akuma (sliced fern root) was sauteed with bits of pork in a soy sauce-type marinade. Every bite of every dish was extraordinary and displayed home cooking at its very best. Our plates represented heart and culture and tradition to the highest degree, but then, they have a James Beard Award, so perhaps that’s obvious.
If you’re going to take a big island road trip, this is the place where you want to make time for a meal. In fact, I confess that we visited a few of the places on this list in a slightly different order so that we wouldn’t miss the short 3-hour window in which Manago serves lunch. After that, they close for 3 hours and re-open at 5 in the evening for dinner.
A Final Note
To return to our starting point on the east coast, we drove for two hours using Saddle Road. Again, be sure to have plenty of gas. There is a stretch of at least 50 miles where there is no civilization as you pass through barren lava fields. The dramatic and sudden dips in the road can be a reason for anyone who gets car sick to take Dramamine before beginning the journey. It is one of the most unique-to-Hawaii sights, though, and shouldn’t be missed.
For us, this big island road trip was the perfect way to check off the remaining items on our “to-do list.” It also allowed us to say, “farewell” to a state, a people, and a culture steeped in poetry and history that we have come to respect very much. Mahalo nui loa. (Thank you very much.)
May 20, 2026 at 11:32 am
Sounds like you had a wonderful day with something for everyone — scenic drive, great food that started with dessert, the beach, that beautiful church, some history and culture. What a wonderful way to end your time on the Big Island.